Panel and spherical structure



June 1966 R. D'AMATO ETAL PANEL AND SPHERICAL STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 14,1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGURE INVENTORS RICHARD DZMA 7'0 BY GEOFFREY 7."JONES ATTORNEY June 14, 1966 R. D'AMATO ETAL PANEL AND SPHERICALSTRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1963 FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3INVENTORS RICHARD D'AMATO BY GEOFF/E). r. JONES ATTORNEY United StatesPatent 3,255,556 PANEL AND SPHERICAL STRUCTURE Richard DAmato, Sudbury,and Geoffrey T. Jones, Walpole, Mass., assignors to Electronic SpaceStructures Corporation, Concord, Mass, a corporation of Delaware FiledFeb. 14, 1963, Sell. No. 258,496 3 Claims. c1. s2 s1 The presentinvention relates generally to spherical structures and to an improvedmethod of constructing such structures and, more particularly, to aspherical structure constructed of a plurality of preformed rigidmembers, each of which forms an aliquot part of the spherical structure,arranged in side by side abutting relation to one another in which eachsuch member is composed of a rigid frame and of a panel covering thearea of the frame.

Spherical structures find important uses in housing apparatus such asradar equipment, in enclosing space containing recreational facilitiessuch as theaters, swimming pools and the like, in providing shelter forfield hospitals in disaster areas or in zones of military operations, inprotecting men, supplies and equipment from the adverse effects ofsevere weather conditions prevalent in arctic climates as well as fromtropical rains prevalent in jungles. For these applications, it is ofthe utmost importance that the spherical structures be adaptable forquick and easy assembly and disassembly, and for convenient storage aswell as for ready transportation to the desired building sites. Presentday techniques for constructing spherical structures have been foundwanting in such matters as adaptability to quick and easy assembly anddisassembly. Furthermore, they have proved to be laborious andcumbersome and, as a result, expensive. Widespread use of this otherwisemost desirable building structure has consequently been seriouslyimpeded.

The present invention contemplates anovel technique for use inconstructing spherical structures that will help in overcoming theseshortcomings and will thus facilitate the wider and more economical useof this particular type of building construction. Moreover, the novelmethod of the invention is uniquely adaptable to quick and easy assemblyand disassembly of spherical structures by crews smaller in numbers andless specialized in training than the crews heretofore required.Furthermore, due to the simplified method of making the component partsfor the spherical structures, the overall cost of manufacture ofspherical structures has been sharply curtailed.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to providespherical structures that can be quickly and easily assembled anddisassembled and whose. costs of manufacture are but a fraction of suchstructures heretofore made. More specifically, it is an object of thepresent invention to provide an improved method of constructingspherical structures comprising preforming a plurality of panel coveredrigid frame members in which each member is designed as an aliquot partof the spherical structure, arranging the rigid frame members in side byside abutting relation to one another to form the spherical structure,and securing the rigid frame members to each other in such side by sideabutting relation. It is a further object of the present invention toprovide a component-part for a spherical structure comprising a rigidframe portion of triangular shape and a panel portion covering the areaof the rigid frame portion. It is still a further object of the presentinvention to provide a component part for a spherical structurecomprising cast corner blocks-and extruded side plates having acrosssectional area of an L and being also provided with flap portionsintegral with the side plates, the blocks and the side plates beingwelded to each other to form a rigid frame defining an opening oftriangular shape, and a panel of the same size and shape as thetriangular opening, with the edges of the panel designed to be attachedto the rigid frame by means of the flap portions.

Other and further objects of the invention will in part be obvious andwill in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the improved method and sphericalstructure possessing the construction, combination of elements, andarrangements of parts which are exemplified in the following detaileddisclosure, and the scope of which will be indicated in the appendedclaims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a line drawing of a spherical structure constructed inaccordance with and embodying the present invention, with a portion ofthe structure being cut away to expose the interior thereof;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, in partly assembled relation, of acomponent part for a spherical structure constructed in accordance withand embodying the present invention, with a portion of the panelcovering cut away better to indicate its construction;

FIG. 3 shows in perspective and on an enlarged scale a portion of thecomponent part shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters refer tolike parts throughout, and in particular to FIG. 1, the referencecharacter 10 denotes a spherical structure constructed in accordancewith and embodying the present invention, with a portion of thestructure being cut away to expose the interior. The structure 10 ismounted on a suitable annular base or foundation 12. It may be observedthat the structure 10 is not a complete sphere but represents rather abody cut from a sphere. It must be pointed out, therefore, that theterms sphere and. spherical as used in this specification as well as inthe appended claims are intended to include not only complete sphericalbodies but also bodies which may be described as cut from a sphere. Inthe mounting of the spherical structure 10 on the annular base 12,conventional structural considerations are observed which do not formpart of the present invention. One of the basic patents disclosing suchspherical building construction and the general principles applicablethereto is United States Patent No. 2,682,235 granted to R. B. Fuller onJune 29, 1954. Other and related patents dealing with spheres andspherical construction include, among others, US. Patent No. 2,711,181to G. B. Woods, US. Patent No. 2,978,074

'to C. J. Schmidt, and US. .Patent No. 2,978,704 to. A.

Cohen et al. Each of these patents, however, with the exception of thepatent to Woods, provides for a spherical construction in which struts,tubes, curved beams, or elongated metal members are interconnected atterminals such as hubs, spool-like elements or the like to form therigid metal'framework for the spherical structure. The patent to Woods,on the other hand, provides for collapsible frame sections that are ofsubstantially kite shape, with each frame section being provided withits individual cover membrane attached thereto substantially as a sheetis to a bed.

In contrast to the teachings of these patents, the spherical structure10 of the present invention is composed of a plurality of preformedrigid members 14, each of which forms an aliquot part of thestructure10, arranged in side by side abutting relation to one another to formthe structure 10. Each of the members 14 comprises a rigid, preferablylight metal frame and a panel of sheet material such as a plastic tocover the area of the frame. The

members 14, furthermore, are preferably though notv necessarily oftriangular shape. The particular size and shape of the rigid members 14is, of course, determined by the desired size of the spherical structureto be built and may be computed in accordance with the well understoodprinciples disclosed in the patent to Fuller or in the patent to Cohenet al., supra. The application of these principles to the constructionof the spherical structure 10 of the invention does not form part ofthis invention.

One preferred embodiment of such a preformed rigid member is thecomponent part for a spherical structure shown in perspective and in apartly assembled relation in FIG. 2. This triangular component part 20comprises three extruded side plates 22, 24, and 26, three cast cornerblocks 30, 32, and 34, and a panel 21 of any desired sheet material,preferably of plastic, depending on the final use to which the sphericalstructure is to be put. It is to be noted that each of the extruded sideplates 22, 24, and 26 is having a cross-sectional area of an L and isalso being provided with a flap portion 27a, 27b and 27c respectively.These flap portions 27a, 27b and 270 extend along the respective lengthsof the side plates 22, 24 and 26, and are an integral part thereof,defining V-shaped channels 29a, 29b and 220 therebetween. The sideplates 22, 24 and 26 may be made of any light metal and are preferablymade of aluminum or an aluminum base alloy. Furthermore, the plates 22,24 and 26 are formed according to well known extrusion techniques,utilizing specially shaped dies to achieve the L-shaped cross section,the flap portion, and defining therebetween the V-shaped channel. Thecorner blocks 30, 32 and 34 are formed by casting in appropriatelyshaped dies and are preferably made of the same metal or metal alloyused for making the side plates 22, 24 and 26.

In FIG. 3 is depicted, in perspective and on an enlarged scale, aportion of the component part 20 for a spherical structure shown in FIG.2. This portion includes the cast corner block 30, disclosing itsparticular configuration, and one end of extruded side plate 22 weldedto the corner block 30. As may be observed, the cast corner block 30comprises a triangular end section 31 and a pair of fiat side sections33 and 35. The triangular end section 31 and the pair of fiat sidesections 33 and 35 define at their respective junctures a pair ofshoulders 37 and a pair of side depressions 39 to accommodate theL-shaped side plates in such a manner that they are flush with thetriangular end section 31. As may be clearly noted in FIG. 3, the sideplate 22 is formed, in crosssection, of a longer portion 23 having ashorter leg in a plane normal to the plane of the longer portion 23 andat one end thereof, and is also provided with a fiap portion 27aintegral with the side plate 22 and defining a V-shaped channel 29abetween the flap portion 27a and the shorter leg 25 of the side plate22. It may be further noted that the shorter leg 25 of the side plate 22is made to rest on one of the pair of shoulders 37 while the longerportion 23 fits in snugly in one of the pair of side depressions 39 ofthe corner block 30. The pair of fiat side sections 33 and 35 of thecorner block are, furthermore, provided with spaced holes 11, 13 and 15,17 respectively which match with equally spaced holes provided in theside plates 22, 24 and 26. Thus, the spaced holes 15 and 17 in the fiatside section of the corner block 30 match with the superimposed spacedholes and 47 provided in the side plate 26, as may be best seen in FIG.2. These spaced holes are being provided so that one triangularcomponent part 20 of the spherical structure to be built may beeffectively joined to other component parts as for instance by bolts.

Following the forming of the side plates 22, 24 and 26 by extrusion andof the corner blocks 30, 32 and 34 by casting, they are welded to eachother to form a rigid frame with a triangular opening, as may beobserved in FIG. 2. Thereafter, a sheet or panel 21 of material,preferably plastic, is cut to the same triangular shape and size as therigid frame. It must be pointed out that the material for the sheet orpanel 21 is selected with a view to the particular use to which thespherical structure is to be put. Thus, the panel 21 may be cut from asheet of light metal as, for instance, aluminum or an aluminum basealloy. Prior to the insertion of the panel 21 into the rigid frameformed by the side plates 22, 24, 26 and the corner blocks 30, 32, 34,an adhesive material 18 is spread in the V-shaped channels 29a, 29b and290 as well as on the top of the corner blocks 30, 32 and 34.Thereafter, the panel 21 is inserted into the rigid frame to cover thearea of the triangular opening formed therebetween, with the edges ofthe panel 21 being received within the V-shaped channels29a, 29b and290. The insertion of the panel 21 is, of course, facilitated by theinherent elasticity of its sheet material. Once the panel 21 is inplace, the flap portions 27a, 27b and 270 are rolled down over the edgesof the panel 21 as at 28, gripping the panel 21 firmly to the rigidframe of the triangular component part 20.

It is to be understood that shapes other than the triangular shapesherein shown and described may be used to form the component part of thespherical structure. For example, two or more triangular parts may becombined and formed as one unit. It is also to be understood that anyknown sizes of spherical structures may be built from such componentparts, provided always that the well understood mathematicalcalculations to arrive at the particular sizes and shapes of theindividual component parts are observed.

The present invention thus provides a novel spherical structureconstructed of a plurality of preformed rigid members and an improvedmethod of building such a spherical structure and, more particularly, anovel method of making rigid component parts for a spherical structureand the component parts so made.

Since certain changes may be made in the above described method andspherical structure without departing from the scope of the inventionherein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpretedin an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A spherical structure comprising a plurality of preformed rigidcomponents, each of said components forming an aliquot part of saidstructure and being arranged and secured in side by side abuttingrelation to one another to formsaid spherical structure, in which eachsaid preformed rigid component is composed of three cast corner blocks,three side plates, each of said side plates being welded to a pair ofsaid corner blocks to define an opening of triangular shape, each ofsaid side plates provided with a flap portion extending along the lengthof each of said side plates and defining initially a V-shaped channeltherebetween, and a panel of triangular shape and size to cover saidopening of triangular shape formed by said corner blocks and said sideplates, with each edge of said panel being clamped to one of said sideplates by said flap portion closing said V-shaped channel about saidedge.

2. A componentpart for a spherical structure comprising cast cornerblocks, each of said corner blocks having a triangular end section and apair of fiat side sections, said triangular end section and said pair offiat side sections defining at their respective junctures, a pair ofside depressions, extruded side plates having flap portions integralwith said side plates extending along their respective lengths andinitially defining V-shaped channels therebetween, each of said sideplates being welded to a pair of said corner blocks with the endportions of said side plates fitting in said side depressions so thatsaid side plates and said triangular end sections of said corner blocksdefine a triangular opening, a panel of triangular shape and size tocover said triangular opening formed by said side plates and saidtriangular end sections of said corner blocks, with each edge of 5 Vsaid panel adhesively bonded within one of said V-shaped channels andmechanically clamped to one of said side plates by said flap portionclosing the V-sh-aped channel about said edge.

3. A component part for a spherical structure comprising cast cornerblocks, each of said corner blocks having a triangular end section and apair of flat side sections, said triangular end section and said pair offlat side sections defining at their respective junctures a pair ofshoulders and a pair of side depressions, extruded side plates beingL-shaped in cross-section and having flap portions integral with saidside plates and extending along their respective lengths, said flapportions and the shorter legs of said L-shaped side plates initiallydefining V-shaped channels therebetween, each of said L-shaped sideplates being welded to a pair of said corner blocks with said shorterlegs of said side plates resting on said shoulders and the longerportions of said side plates fitting in said side depressions so thatsaid side plates and said triangular end sections of said corner blocksdefine a triangular opening, a panel of triangular shape and size tocover said triangular opening formed by said side plates and saidtriangular end sections of said corner blocks, with each edge of saidpanel adhesively bonded within one of said V-shaped channels andmechanically clamped to one of said side plates by said flap portionclosing the V-shaped channel about said edge.

References Cited by the Examiner EARL J. WITMER, Primary Examiner.

2. A COMPONENT PART FOR A SPHERICAL STRUCTURE COMPRISING CAST CORNERBLOCKS, EACH OF SAID CORNER BLOCKS HAVING A TRIANGULAR END SECTION AND APAIR OF FLAT SIDE SECTIONS, SAID TRIANGULAR END SECTION AND SAID PAIR OFFLAT SIDE SECTIONS DEFINING AT THEIR RESPECTIVE JUNCTURES, A PAIR OFSAID DEPRESSIONS, EXTRUDED SIDE PLATES HAVING FLAP PORTIONS INTEGRALWITH SAID SIDE PLATES EXTENDING ALONG THEIR RESPECTIVE LENGTHS ANDINITIALLY DEFINING V-SHAPED CHANNELS THEREBETWEEN, EACH OF SAID SIDEPLATES BEING WELDED TO A PAIR OF SAID CORNER BLOCKS WITH THE ENDPORTIONS OF SAID SIDE PLATES FITTING IN SAID SIDE DEPRESSIONS SO THATSAID SIDE PLATES AND SAID TRIANGULAR END SECTIONS OF